The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 118

Chapter 6 Wolfdog

The rainbow light vanished completely after a few dozen breaths.

Amidst the whistling wind, Li Xun tumbled and fell from the sky, tens of miles high. If Yin Sanren hadn’t intervened in time to offset the immense kinetic energy accumulated during his fall, he wouldn’t have been left feeling dizzy and dazed after hitting the sea.

Struggling to the surface, Li Xun realized he hadn’t fallen far from the shore. However, he was completely drained of all strength, and could only drift away from the coastline with the ebb and flow of the tide.

Fortunately, he had only drifted a short distance before Yin Sanren materialized from the void, grabbed his shoulder, and lifted him ashore.

“Where is this?” Li Xun tried to clench his fists, but he could feel the weakness in his body from the effort.

Yin Sanren’s palm remained pressed against his shoulder, emitting a stream of true energy, probing his condition. He responded, “The North Sea isn’t far from the Milky Way… The Eight Sea-Suppressing Techniques truly live up to their reputation!”

This sudden change of subject didn’t affect Li Xun’s understanding. Instead, he nodded approvingly, “It was just a scratch, yet it had such power. Li Douliang truly deserves to be the foremost Grandmaster of the righteous path!”

He choked on a mouthful of blood, which splattered all over Yin Sanren. Yin Sanren didn’t even frown, merely smiling, “Is this blood yours, or that bastard’s?”

Before he could finish his words, a loud slap landed on her face. The blow wasn’t strong, but it was enough to demonstrate Li Xun’s wrath.

“Shut up!”

he muttered, his expression darkening. Yin Sanren’s words inevitably brought back memories of the fateful blow by the Qingcang River.

Undoubtedly, if word got out that he had slain Yun Xing in front of the three great sect leaders and escaped unscathed, Li Xun would instantly become world-renowned, a figure worthy of being compared to any other master. Yet, Li Xun absolutely refused to recall that moment.

In fact, his memory was already hazy.

He only remembered the moment when bones shattered under the immense pressure, flesh sizzled from the intense heat, bloody steam permeated his entire body, and shrill screams and deep resentment echoed throughout the confined space.

This wasn’t his own experience, but rather the process of Yun Xing’s half-body being “digested” within his “body.”

Yes, it wasn’t a slaying; it was a devouring!

Like a wild beast, tearing apart its bloody prey and devouring it whole.

Li Xun knew that devouring humans alive was not uncommon in this world. Besides the demons who favored this delicacy, some evil cultivators, such as those from the Succubus Sect, often ate exotic beasts and other living creatures to maintain their vitality.

But in this instance, Li Xun’s devouring was different from all others. He “swallowed” not with his mouth, but with a vast curtain formed by his blood-shadow demonic body, enveloping Yun Xing, tearing him apart, crushing him, and then digesting him.

This was no ordinary human being, and Li Xun had never felt the “inhuman” aura within him so clearly as he did now. This completely exceeded his human limits, causing the acid in his stomach to rise violently, causing him to feel extremely uncomfortable. Despite

the slap, Yin Sanren showed no reaction, and even the true energy he was controlling within Li Xun remained unchanged.

After combing Li Xun’s meridians, she removed her hands, knelt on the beach, and smiled at him. “Even a truly top-tier figure wouldn’t have achieved what you’ve achieved today. Are you dissatisfied with this? I think you should be incredibly happy.”

“Happy?” Li Xun wanted to slap her again. Could turning himself into something neither human nor ghost be considered happy?

The words lingered in his throat, but he swallowed them back.

He couldn’t deny that the entire process of rising from the depths of the Qingcang River, tearing through Yunxing, and then transforming into a rainbow and fading away was filled with disgusting and demonic means, but it also gave him a sense of accomplishment he had never experienced before.

The two feelings merged into a complex, complex one that made him want to scream out loud to vent.

But in the end, he only half-raised himself and sighed. He then spread his hands, surveying them with a strange gaze—this was his body, and within it lay an incredible power!

At this moment, he finally realized that while the Jade Exorcist’s suppression and fixation of his cultivation still had an effect, when the situation became beyond his current capabilities, the immense power suppressed within his mind would burst forth, using the most appropriate method to achieve the optimal result.

This transcended the boundaries of the three sects he had cultivated. It wasn’t the Spiritual Resonance Technique, the Netherworld Qi, or the Blood Godson, but rather, guided by a profound and profound mental method, a seamless and integrated fusion!

It was like connecting three previously unconnected water systems through a canal… No, more precisely, it was a mysterious method that connected three separate worlds, allowing each to be within the other, each within the other.

Of course, this “connection” was far from complete perfection; Li Xun could still sense the boundaries between them.

He knew that this was based on the “Blood Shadow Demon Body,” leveraging its ultimate plasticity, its “empty nature without substance,” to introduce the profound spiritual resonance and the Netherworld Yin Fire, thus unifying the three. This was the art of the Bone Meridians to Open the Heart!

The Bottomless Nether Ring and the Dao Embryo’s Nascent Soul were constantly transforming their essence and energy, attempting to merge with the Blood Shadow Demon Body at a more fundamental level.

Correspondingly, with the heart as its core, countless fine blood vessels and meridians, as well as numerous bones and internal organs, transformed from virtual to real, creating something out of nothing, connecting his entire body into a tight, complex, and exquisite network.

This body resembled a human body, yet differed significantly in subtle details, a form of “demonization.”

It was this body that unknowingly enabled Li Xun to overcome the awkwardness of his lifelong practice of dividing his mind into two, or even three, functions, and clarified the direction for his future cultivation.

However, Li Xun could not find any sense of excitement.

He knew that while his entry into the True Person Realm might have contributed to this, the most important factor was the Bone Meridians to Heart Technique. This mysterious technique, created by Zhong Yin, was showing increasingly astonishing effects as his cultivation level increased.

Yin Sanren was also well aware of the changes within Li Xun. Seeing him stunned, she asked, “What are your plans for the future?”

Startled by this, Li Xun frowned and glanced at her, finding the tone in her words odd.

“What plans? Regardless, I’ve concealed my identity for today. Besides, now that Li Douliang has arrived, the Mingji issue should be resolved. I just need to return to the sect as planned. What else can I plan?” “

Really? You’re going back like this?”

Li Xun looked over himself, and he was indeed quite an eyesore. After countless battles across the galaxy and the transformation of his Blood Shadow demonic body, his Taoist robes were tattered and barely covered. Luckily, he had all his magical weapons, and he had a special reserve of Youxuan puppets, so he could just take one out and exchange it.

He asked Yin Sanren for a new set of clothes and quickly put them on. Seeing the subtle change in Yin Sanren’s expression, he laughed heartily, “I know what you mean. The situation has changed now. I’m afraid the whole galaxy is in chaos. If we continue to follow the original plan, not only will we end up in trouble, but we might even get burned, right?”

Yin Sanren smiled silently.

Li Xun examined his various magical weapons and continued, “Unfortunately, I still have the Heart Garden behind me. To others, the deaths of Bisu and Yunxing are already suspicious enough, and those at the Heart Garden will likely take it a step further, making them more likely to suspect me. If I don’t make a move now, wouldn’t that give them leverage?”

Yin Sanren understood that what he meant by “making a move” was nothing more than a way to distance himself from the murderer. While everyone believed the murderer had fled, he could infiltrate the galaxy again, stir up some minor disturbance, and then “reveal his identity.”

By then, apart from embarrassment for the Xingji Sword Sect, he would have a perfectly adequate explanation for all parties involved.

However, this method was too risky—with Lingzhu’s cultivation level and without an insider like Bisu, infiltrating the galaxy during this tense situation would be incredibly difficult. If he were discovered right from the start, his infiltration would likely backfire.

“You’re still hesitant!” Yin Sanren shook his head and sighed, “You’re clearly a vicious wolf, so why are you trying to steal the dog’s business?”

“That’s quite amusing!”

Li Xun wasn’t offended by Yin Sanren’s comparisons to a wolf or a dog. He simply laughed and said, “You say I’m a wolf, but I’ve seen how I escaped from Li Douliang and the others. So, wouldn’t it be perfectly safe for me to steal the dog’s business? The worst that could happen is just running away. Who else in the world could threaten me?”

Yin Sanren was speechless.

It was a rare sight to see Yin Sanren being refuted, and Li Xun found it even more satisfying than pinning him down a hundred times. Laughing heartily, he spun around and unleashed the Bone Meridians to Open the Heart technique. Xuanmen’s true energy filled his body, and not a trace of evil could be seen.

Off to the side, Yin Sanren gave a quiet compliment. Every time she saw this miraculous method of connecting the bones and meridians to the heart, even though she had no fondness for Zhong Yin, she couldn’t help but admire his astonishing skills, far superior to anyone in the world.

However, this reminder reminded her of something else: “To say that no one in the world threatens you is too absolute. As far as I know, there are at least two people in the world today who can be called the natural enemies of the Blood Shadow Demon Body!”

“Oh? Which two?”

Yin Sanren smiled faintly. “The Demon Phoenix and the Blue Luan! Their bodies are originally divine birds from the immortal realm. Their flying speed alone is not inferior to yours. Moreover, they are born with the ability to resist all demons and monsters, making them your nemesis.

If you encounter them, you can neither defeat them nor escape them. Wouldn’t that be troublesome?”

“They…”

Li Xun was silent. He was also knowledgeable and knew that what Yin Sanren said was true.

The worst part was that he, Yao Feng, and Qing Luan were almost inherently at odds with each other. Even without Gu Yin’s intervention, a fierce battle would have ensued sooner or later. If he still relied on his Blood Shadow Demon Body when that time came, it would be a complete joke.

Fei’s swollen confidence began to wane, and at the same time, he vaguely understood the purpose behind Yin Sanren’s words.

Dawn was about to break in the east, and the galaxy, which had been in turmoil all night, seemed to have settled. However, the hearts of the Mingxin Sword Sect cultivators surrounding the galaxy remained unsettled.

Half an hour earlier, after the blood-red light streaked across the sky, the air around them had become suffocatingly hot, and no news had reached Qingming or Li Douliang.

The Yunlou Moon-Grasping Chariot hovered silently in mid-air, its energy hidden. However, through the water mirror condensed by the clouds, even the slightest movement within a hundred miles could be seen by those aboard the Cloud Chariot.

Mingde watched the images flashing across the water mirror with boredom, his hand unconsciously drawing and inserting his sword to ease his anxiety.

Among the Seven Swordsmen of Lianxia, he was the most impetuous, impulsive, and eager to help others. While not as sharp and insightful as Mingji, his straightforward nature did share some similarities. Consequently, he was the closest to Mingji among his fellow disciples.

This time, when Mingji was trapped in the galaxy, he was the first to disrupt the situation, only to be humiliated by the galaxy’s confinement. Over the past month, he had been simmering with resentment. He

didn’t feel it during normal times, but now, with nothing to do, he felt a tightness in his chest. The sight of the exquisitely crafted water mirror only intensified his anger.

“What’s wrong with that brat Li Xun? He tinkers with these weird ways when he’s free on weekdays, but when we really need him, he runs away without a trace. Does he still care about the safety of his elders?”

Mingsong, who was resting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and scolded in a low voice: “Fifth Junior Brother, what you said is unreasonable! Not a single third-generation disciple of the sect participated in this trip to the galaxy. Why do you pick on Xun’er!”

Mingde was already angry, and after being scolded by Mingsong, his arrogance disappeared immediately, but he still muttered: “I didn’t find fault with him, but who made him the only one in the sect who is useful in forbidden techniques?”

As a fellow disciple, who didn’t know Mingde’s character? Hearing his unreasonable words, several brothers around him laughed, and even Mingsong couldn’t hold back his face, but in the end, he still ended with a sigh.

“This matter cannot be resolved by force. We have been drifting around for many days, isn’t it just to win face for the sect? The key lies in the mediation of Sect Master Li. If we can make a big thing small and a small thing nothing, and not miss the main purpose of the Moon Queen Water Mirror Conference, that is the most important thing. I just hope that there will be no more accidents in Xinghe…”

Before he finished speaking, they all felt it. A sword light flew from the sky and fell directly into the Yuntai chariot. Judging from the sword light, this should be the news that Qingming was released.

Several people stood up at the same time and looked in the direction of the chariot. After a while, a figure flashed on the Yuntai, and Qingxu, who was presiding over the forbidden method on it, flew down, his face as gloomy as water.

“Mingji is fine. Tianyuan Weng finally gave Sect Master Li face and agreed to release him.”

“Yeah? Good news!”

Mingde clapped his hands and cheered, but was glared at by everyone. Qingxu didn’t react, simply continuing, “The galaxy has undergone a dramatic transformation. Bisu and Yunxing are dead, and Tianyuan Weng has decided to withdraw from the Shuijing Alliance.”

Everyone was shocked. Both Bisu and Yunxing were renowned masters in this world, on par with the Seven Swords of Lianxia. How could such masters die so easily?

Qingxu observed their expressions, sighed softly, and, following the information on the flying sword, recounted a brief account of the events in the galaxy. No one present was foolish; even the straightforward Mingde could sense the strangeness of the situation.

He scratched his head and said, “The Blood Shadow Demon Body… Even the Blood Wanderer back then couldn’t cultivate such an evil thing! When did Fourth Senior Sister offend such a demon?”

“Whether we’ve offended him or not is still ambiguous. This action is completely unnecessary. What purpose does it serve other than disrupting the galaxy?”

Mingsong was also extremely puzzled. “If this is a ploy by the Northern Alliance to sow discord, it makes sense. But Gu Yin is a wise man of the time, and such clumsy work is not her style.”

Of course, no one would have thought that this was just someone’s momentary impulsiveness. Including Qingxu, everyone began to worry about the consequences of this accident for the Water Mirror Alliance.

Tianyuan Weng was a man who cared about his reputation, and everyone understood that he didn’t want to embarrass himself at the Water Mirror Conference after such a heavy setback.

However, Xinghe was one of the most crucial pieces in limiting the survival of the Loose Cultivators Alliance. Without Xinghe’s cooperation, the entire East, especially the Mingxin Sword Sect, would be directly exposed to the Loose Cultivators Alliance’s attack range. Without Xinghe’s exquisite forbidden techniques, the Mingxin Sword Sect’s ability to withstand attacks was truly lacking.

It’s undeniable that this might have been one of Tianyuan Weng’s private considerations!

Mingsong and the others had all thought about this sooner or later, and for a moment, they fell silent, the atmosphere oppressive. Seeing this, Qingxu sighed and added, “Also, Mingji swore a solemn oath before the three sect masters: she will never achieve enlightenment until the murderer of Bisu and Yunxing is dead!”

At these words, Mingsong and the others’ faces paled.

This oath might have been fine for others, but for Mingji, a cultivator whose ultimate ascension was almost certain, it was too decisive!

However, everyone understood that such a solemn oath would never be forced upon them by others; it was Mingji’s decision alone. The reason she swore this oath was likely in response to Xinghe’s withdrawal from the alliance.

“Foolish, foolish!”

Mingde stamped his feet repeatedly, wishing time could go back so he could cover Mingji’s mouth with his hand!

There were those like him who were furious, and those like Li Minghe who were calm and realistic. Seeing Mingde’s state, he sneered, “What’s the point of talking now? Fortunately, Fourth Senior Sister didn’t say we must slay that demon ourselves. From now on, we just need to put in some effort and eliminate him sooner or later!”

Among the Seven Swordsmen of Lianxia, besides Mingji, Li Minghe had the heaviest record of murder, always drawing frowns from his fellow disciples.

But today, his words were met with universal approval. Even Mingru, the mildest of all, agreed that this was the safest approach. The conversation had unknowingly veered off course.

Mingsong was ultimately calmer. Sensing that Qingxu seemed to have more to say, he stopped his fellow disciples’ discussion and turned his gaze towards Qingxu.

As expected, Qingxu gave a wry smile and said, “One more thing. Mingsong, Mingru, you two must have worked hard…”

“Hmm?”

Returning to the Qingcang River for the second time, listening to the roaring water, Li Xun felt as if his body were a bellows, only now it was pumping out a turbulent tide of star energy.

Bi Su had said that star energy was poisonous to cultivators outside the Xingji Sword Sect, and it was indeed true. Inhaling too much in a single breath, he felt dizzy and his vital energy seemed to be blocked. As for the damage to his flesh and bones, it was beyond words.

But it was all worth it.

This self-mutilation blurred the boundaries of time. Judging from his physical condition and his current location, who would believe he had just infiltrated the galaxy half an hour ago?

Still, the Xingji Sword Sect’s reaction surprised Li Xun.

Not long ago, thinking the situation was about right, Li Xun deliberately activated a restriction, exposing his whereabouts, and then turned and fled.

There was a moment of excitement, as dozens of sword beams swirled above him. He had even braced himself for a fight to the death, but with at least a hundred eyes fixed on him, no one made a move, not even a hello.

Li Xun was stunned for a moment before he began to understand. He took a tentative step forward, but the dozens of cultivators simply stared coldly, without a single reaction.

If Li Xun still didn’t understand at this point, it would be truly unacceptable. He took a deep breath, ignoring the sword beams swirling in the air as if nothing, and, following the principles of the galaxy, he made his way back.

The journey was far from easy. The cultivators of the Xingji Sword Sect were all highly skilled. Although they didn’t attack, their gazes were fierce. These combined emotions formed a thick, murderous intent that gurgled through the air.

Li Xun could easily imagine how many other eyes were watching the situation.

At this moment, his every move represents the dignity of Mingxin Sword Sect. If he is timid, or behaves inappropriately, he will become a laughing stock – the cultivators of Xingji Sword Sect will never be stingy with their ridicule.

Retribution, retribution!

Li Xun smiled bitterly in his heart. At this moment, he realized how much of a burden it was for him to have the meridians and organs in his body destroyed by the star power. On the one hand, he had to suppress his injuries, and on the other hand, he had to resist the pressure from the outside world. If he was not very familiar with the restrictions of the Qingcang River, he would have made a fool of himself before he could walk ten miles!

When he sneaked in again, it only took him half an hour to travel hundreds of miles, but when he returned, nearly an hour had passed, and he had moved less than thirty miles! At this rate, when will he be able to get out of the galaxy?

Despite his inner complaints, his face remained calm, his gaze fixed straight ahead. The flashes of sword light in the sky were nothing to him. By the end, he had truly stopped wondering how far he had to go, or whether his body could still bear the weight. He simply continued forward, a strange feeling of martyrdom stirring within him.

However, this emotion lasted only a short while. As Li Xun took another step forward, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.

The flow of vital energy around him was clearly no longer that of the galaxy. The external pressure suddenly vanished, and the true energy that permeated his body suddenly found no support. All his joints cracked, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

A few cold snorts echoed in the sky, and the sword light dispersed. Li Xun turned around and immediately realized he had reached the outer reaches of the galaxy. The theoretical distance, which should have been hundreds of miles, seemed to have been wiped out without a trace. It was truly mysterious!

“What a powerful ability that can make a world seem so distant!”

A familiar voice suddenly echoed in his ears. Li Xun was startled, and just as he was about to turn, he felt a sudden surge of dizziness, nearly collapsing. Fortunately, a hand grasped his arm just in time, and a whisper echoed in his ear: “Good boy, thank you for your hard work!”

Mingru… Immortal Master?

Li Xun blinked hard, temporarily easing the darkness before his eyes. Turning back, he saw Mingru’s beautiful, gentle face.

From the other side, Mingsong’s voice echoed again, resonant as if speaking to someone far away: “You ignorant boy, this loss today will teach you not to underestimate the masters of the world again!”

Mingru’s beautiful eyes curved into crescents, her clear gaze refusing any other thoughts. Through her hands, she channeled her inner Qi, helping Li Xun to regulate his internal energy channels. Mingsong joined in, and together, they immediately suppressed the injury.

Mingsong then whispered a compliment in his ear, “Well done!”

The two fell silent, supporting Li Xun as they soared towards the Cloud Chariot, hundreds of miles away. Li Xun finally understood what had happened. He suppressed the urge to burst into laughter, closed his eyes slightly, and began to tend to his injuries.

When Li Xun stepped onto the Cloud Tower Moon Chariot, he was treated like a hero.

Undoubtedly, Li Xun had achieved his goal. Everyone praised him. Even a serious figure like Qingxu, after cautioning him against getting carried away, offered him a few words of praise. Li Xun didn’t even need to explain; the effect was even more impressive than he had anticipated.

It was so remarkable that it frightened him.

Fortunately, just a quarter of an hour later, the two sect leaders, Qingming and Li Douliang, returned from their discussion with Tianyuan Weng, temporarily relieving Li Xun of his predicament.

It seemed that Li Xun and Li Douliang had a strong connection.

After he trapped and killed the Sky Eagle Demon King within three years, he became the foremost Grandmaster of the righteous path after Zhong Yin, praising him as “the most persevering young man,” making the name of Ming Xinling Zhu resound throughout the world.

And now, seeing Li Douliang again, Li Xun felt a strange feeling.

The reason was simple: Li Douliang’s appearance and physique bore a striking resemblance to Yunxing, whom he had just devoured; both were uninhibited and chivalrous, possessing the spirit of true men. Of course, Yunxing’s demeanor was far inferior to Li Douliang’s, and for this reason, Li Xun felt somewhat uneasy in his presence.

However, Li Douliang’s expression was gloomy at the moment, and he paid little attention to him. Qingming, on the other hand, though he could not say much due to Li Douliang’s presence, still expressed praise.

Li Xun hurriedly bowed and thanked them, but then he noticed someone was missing. He wondered, “Where’s Fourth-Master Uncle? Didn’t they say the Xingji Sword Sect agreed to release him?”

Qingming stroked his long beard, a look of resignation on his face. “Mingji will need to stay in Xinghe for a few more days… It’s not that Sect Master Tianyuan won’t let him go, but she wants to pay tribute to the deceased at the site of his death as a token of her gratitude. She’ll also be searching the area for clues, hoping to find the murderer as soon as possible.”

Li Xun naturally disliked hearing this, but he couldn’t show it. Li Douliang, listening nearby, nodded and said, “If we can find the murderer in time, perhaps there’s still hope for the Shuijing Alliance… Alas, man proposes, God disposes!”

He was clearly in a state of dismay, a state of mind that belied his Grandmaster-level reputation. Not only Li Xun, but Mingsong and the others were also somewhat surprised. Qingming remained calm and invited Li Douliang to board the cloud chariot. The two of them discussed for about half an hour before Li Douliang took his leave.

Meanwhile, Li Xun and the others were also about to return to the sect.